Knickers in a Twist
by MrsHeleneSnape
Summary: When Severus uses something personal of Hermione's, how does she respond? Response to GS100 challenge "Stuck On You" 800 word Drabble


Disclaimer: I am not JKR. I don't own the world of Harry Potter. I make no money from this work of fanfiction.

"Severus, I was just explaining a new theory in my NEWT Arithmancy class. What the Hell am I doing in your lab?" Hermione asked her lover, clearly irritated.

"I've made a breakthrough with my summoning potion."

"That's wonderful, but it doesn't explain how I got here" Hermione brushed her lips against his cheek and made a move to leave. "I've got to get back before lessons end today for the week. I'll come back la... Why can't I leave Severus?"

"I've hit a small snag with the potion."

"How 'small a snag' are we talking about Severus?" she asked, annoyed.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"I've made a small miscalculation with the ingredient order. Somehow, instead of the object returning to the owner, like a Lost and Found spell, the owner is brought to the object. I didn't foresee a complication arising from testing on an object that isn't mine" Severus explained, sheepishly.

"What were you trying it out on? Something of mine? I still don't get what's keeping me here though."

"yornkers"

"My what?"

He held out a scrap of satin and lace for her perusal.

Hermione exploded in rage "MY KNICKERS! Those cost me a week's salary at the _Witch's Boudoir_, you idiot!"

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"It was the only thing of yours that I had here. Perhaps if you stayed over instead of sneaking out at midnight, I could have used something different. As it is, we're going to have to stay within touching distance so we won't inflict pain, which happens to be an unfortunate side effect of the potion."

"Oh, you're not going to have to worry about the potion's side effects. Don't count on seeing me in these" shaking her underwear at him, "again. I swear, if it wouldn't injure me, you wouldn't come near me again. You've ruined my best knickers."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hermione, it was a simple mistake. You never leave anything, not even a toothbrush, in my quarters. Do you not like having some of your own things here? Does the thought of waking up next to me abhor you?" he asked, brow furrowed.

"No, it's not that Severus. I just don't want to rush things between us. After the war, people assumed I wanted to fast track my relationship with Ron. They poked, prodded and nudged their way into our lives that I didn't know what was authentic about Ron and I anymore. Hence the train wreck it turned into."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"But we've been taking things slow for months. We've been together almost a year and the staff doesn't even know about us. How do you think that makes feel Hermione? Am I not important enough to you that you'd want to share it with the people who matter to you... to us?"

"I don't want people assuming they can nosey their way into our lives. The constant advice and criticisms are what destroyed what Ron and I had. I don't want that to happen with us. I wouldn't survive it if people nitpicked our relationship to death. It'd kill me."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Hermione started to cry at the thought of Severus hearing the busybodies they worked with gossip about them. She somehow knew they wouldn't accept her being with someone so polar opposite of Ron Weasley.

"Whatever it is Hermione we'll deal with it. I admit, I was leery of 'us' at first, but I honestly can't imagine life without you now. I just want to share that with the people who matter, if you'll let me." Severus was so tired of hiding their relationship. There were times that he felt so happy, he thought he'd burst from the weight of it.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"We've been through so much. I don't want anything to wreck what we have. Perhaps we should see how things work this weekend. After all, we're can't do anything without one another. This'll be a good trial run. Don't you think?" she looked up with wide, expecting eyes.

"I think this'll be good practice. This could be the start of something much greater than either of us hoped. I'm grateful for that summoning potion error. "

"Me too Severus" she said as they walked out of the lab together. She needed her things if she was going to spend the weekend.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Hermione didn't know that Severus had all of this planned out. He knew what would happen once he poured the potion and spoke the summoning charm to seal it. He even had the reversal already prepared in his stores._

_He wanted to see how they could get along seemingly "stuck together' in close quarters. He knew how she would react to moving in. Now that he had taken the choice away from her, he could wait for things to come together._

_If it was Voldie Wars III, he had the counter-potion waiting. If sparks flew...well, all the better_.


End file.
